Kushner Says U.S. Working Toward 'Largest Prisoner Exchange' of Russia's War in Ukraine

By Reuters Nov. 13, 2026 Jared Kushner. REUTERS / Cathal McNaughton U.S. President Donald Trump's envoy and son-in-law Jared Kushner said Thursday that Russia and Ukraine had agreed to expand the next round of talks to include European nations as Washington works toward the war's "largest prisoner exchange." The remarks came after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed news of European presence at the next round of the U.S.-brokered peace talks, saying he hoped the agenda would include efforts towards ceasefires and defusing the conflict. "We are also working toward what would be the largest prisoner exchange of the war, potentially reuniting thousands of people with their families," Kushner wrote on X, without giving details of the deal. Expansion of the next round of talks with European partners would allow the tackling of "broader postwar European security arrangements alongside the territorial issues between Ukraine and Russia," Kushner said. Today concluded three days of intense diplomacy aimed at ending the horrible war between Russia and Ukraine. Following detailed trilateral negotiations with the Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Abu Dhabi, we traveled to Moscow for direct discussions with President Putin, then to Dublin to meet with President Zelenskyy. We concluded the day consulting with National Security Advisors from Ukraine, Germany, Italy, EU, France, Ireland, and Poland. A tremendous amount of work has gone into restarting direct negotiations after many months. We have made meaningful progress in understanding both sides’ concerns, identifying possible solutions, and establishing a path forward. Both sides have now agreed to expand the next round of negotiations to include our European partners. This will allow us to address the broader postwar European security arrangements alongside the territorial issues between Ukraine and Russia. A lasting end to the fighting requires credible security guarantees, deconfliction mechanisms, and reciprocal de-escalation commitments that reduce the risk of future conflict. We agreed with President Zelenskyy to remain in close contact with him and his team, and reaffirmed that no broader European security arrangements will be finalized without addressing Ukraine’s security concerns. We will begin discussing these interconnected issues in parallel, with the understanding that, apart from humanitarian measures, nothing will be finalized until a comprehensive agreement is reached. We are also working toward what would be the largest prisoner exchange of the war, potentially reuniting thousands of people with their families. Many people’s lives have been devastated by this war and we hope both sides will demonstrate the good will and seriousness necessary to complete this important step. We expect to announce the negotiating tracks, schedule, and additional details shortly. President Trump is determined to end this horrible war. Significant differences remain, but we are encouraged by the progress made. We will undertake whatever hard diplomatic work is necessary to find a breakthrough that ends the fighting and creates the foundation for lasting peace, a sovereign, secure, and prosperous Ukraine, and a more stable Europe.— Jared Kushner (@jaredkushner) November 13, 2026 Washington was encouraged by the progress made, he said, but added that significant differences remained. Zelensky, speaking after talks with U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Kushner, said it was important the process had resumed, following this week's round of talks in Abu Dhabi that was the first in nine months. Earlier Witkoff said Vladimir Putin agreed to let European representatives join the next round of talks, though the Russian president also urged Washington to work with European allies to understand if they wanted peace or war in Ukraine. Kushner and Witkoff traveled to Moscow to meet Putin and to Dublin to meet Zelensky. In his statement, Kushner said a lasting end to the fighting required credible security guarantees and "reciprocal" de-escalation commitments to reduce risk of future conflict. Kyiv and Moscow said major differences remained despite some progress, particularly on territorial issues. Russia holds a fifth of Ukraine and Kyiv refuses to give up the rest of its eastern region of Donbas. Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Trump, who vowed to end the war when he returned to the White House, is yet to reach a deal on that front. Read more about: Ukraine war , United States Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more Trump Envoy to Demand Russia Accept Ukraine's Right to Military Force – Bloomberg For Moscow, agreeing to the demand would mean giving up on its stated war aim of demilitarizing Ukraine. 2 Min read Kirill Dmitriev: The Putin Investment Envoy Navigating Peace Talks and Backchannel Diplomacy The head of Russia’s sovereign wealth fund has emerged as a key figure in talks with the U.S. So who is he — and why is he suddenly everywhere? 6 Min read Trump Doesn’t Want ‘Endless’ Talks With Russia, Rubio Says “We will know soon enough — in a matter of weeks, not months — whether Russia is serious about peace or not,” Rubio said in Brussels. 1 Min read Russia ‘Cannot’ Accept U.S. Ceasefire Proposal in Ukraine, Deputy FM Says “We take the Americans’ proposed models and solutions very seriously, but we also cannot accept them as is,” Sergei Ryabkov said. 2 Min read